Today's Personal Finance Stories

By

CBS.MarketWatch.com

Investors in a bear market inevitably look for alternatives to stocks -- and sometimes stray into dark alleys they should avoid. Most of us have reliable BS sensors and aren't fooled by carnival-barker ads touting offbeat investments' stunning potential returns. Yet bogus money-making schemes have always been part of the investing landscape, many operating just one step ahead of a regulator's cease-and-desist order. In his new feature today, columnist Chuck Jaffe introduces "Stupid Investment of the Week," our dubious achievement award that will honor "opportunities" best avoided. His first winner is, well, a real winner. Read it, along with a story on investors slowly regaining trust in Corporate America and the travel industry's expected summer sale in coming weeks, in today's Personal Finance pages.

In honor of spring's arrival today, can we interest you in some Dutch tulip futures? The rarest colors!

Chris Pummer, Personal Finance Editor

cpummer@marketwatch.com

Stupid investment of the week

Boston: There are a lot of ways to define stupid: Lacking normal intelligence, not clever, the opposite of smart. Dazed. Foolish. Irrational. Dull and boring. Tiresome. Senseless. Doltish, dim-witted, addlepated and obtuse. See full story.

Investors' trust in corporations rises

Los Angeles: Whether it's the instituted reforms, regulatory crackdown, criminal proceedings or the passage of time, investors once traumatized by revelations of widespread corruption are starting to regain their trust in Corporate America. See full story.

Bush tax plan survives crucial vote

Washington: As bombs fell in Baghdad Friday the Senate remained focused on President Bush's domestic agenda, fending off a key challenge to the White House's massive tax-cut proposals. See full story.

Ease off: Five gas-saving tips

Irvine, Calif.: Crude oil prices have fallen like a rock with the war against Iraq under way. But that doesn't mean gasoline prices will follow suit. See full story.

Escape to the future

San Francisco: Leisure travel may not be the first thing on your mind since war broke out, but maybe it should be. If you're planning to take a big trip soon or even later this summer, the time to book may be in the weeks ahead. See full story.

Vital Signs: Bearing the burden

San Francisco: The forces blamed for the weak economy are many -- shaky corporate accounting, poor earnings, limited consumer spending, the aftermath of Sept. 11th and now the war in Iraq. Add to the list of suspects rising health-care costs. See full story.

Hot TIPS

San Francisco: Investors have been pouring so many billions of dollars into Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities, or TIPS, you'd think the U.S. economy was facing a return to the debilitating runaway inflation of the 1970s. See full story.

Marshall Loeb's Daily Tip: Unmarried bliss

New York: According to a new report by the Census Bureau, the number of unmarried couples has shot up 72 percent over the last ten years. See full story.

Recovering from student loan default

North Palm Beach, Fla.: Once you default on a federal student loan by failing to pay for 270 days, things can get awfully bleak awfully fast. See full story.

Guru's Corner: Don't let tainted Internet stocks scare you

Fairfax, Va.: Once burned, twice shy, as the saying goes but don't let that keep you from getting involved in the hottest sector of the current market. See full story.

Study: Ads during war can be OK

New York: As the networks go to continuous coverage and some of the biggest companies frantically pull their ads from anything that resembles news (and much that doesn't), research suggests that Americans may be far more accepting of commercials during the current conflict than many might think. See full story.

Tax Tip: Foreign taxes may offset your U.S. bill

North Palm Beach, Fla.: You diversified your portfolio to spread the risk and take advantage of that hot Euro fund. That strategy also probably meant that you ended up paying foreign taxes on your investment. See full story.

The Stockpickers: Taking stock in conscience

Cincinnati: The difference between last year's top performing and those under-performing S&P 500 companies had a lot to do with how trustworthy they were perceived to be at a time when corporate scandals repeatedly made headlines, says Steve Dillenburg. See full story.

Intraday Data provided by SIX Financial Information and subject to terms of use. Historical and current end-of-day data provided by SIX Financial Information. All quotes are in local exchange time. Real-time last sale data for U.S. stock quotes reflect trades reported through Nasdaq only. Intraday data delayed at least 15 minutes or per exchange requirements.